Forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system

ABSTRACT

A forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system includes a wafer seal tape, a wafer seal transfer member, an inflow conveyor belt, a first pressure roller member, a second pressure roller member and an outflow conveyor belt. The wafer seal tape has a shape wound in a roll type, and has a plurality of wafer seals attached in series to one surface. The wafer seal transfer member includes a supply holding member on which the wafer seal tape is mounted, a removing pulley for removing the wafer seal as the wafer seal tape is transferred, and a recovery holding member for winding a base member from which the wafer seal is removed using the removing pulley as a separation point. The inflow conveyor belt rotates in a forward rotation direction to transfer the packaging object in order to attach the wafer seal for preventing unfolding to a plurality of accumulated packaging objects. The first pressure roller member is disposed at a rear end of the inlet conveyor belt. As a part of a removed wafer seal is attached to the edge of one surface of the packaging object and transferred, the first pressure roller member bends the rest of the wafer seal in a U-shape to pressurize the edge of the other surface of the object to be packaged. The second pressure roller member is disposed at a rear end of the conveying roller member. The second pressure roller member transfers the packaging object having the wafer seal attached to the edge of one side and the edge of the other side. The outflow conveyor belt is disposed at a rear end of the second pressure roller. The outflow conveyor belt rotates in the forward rotation direction to transport the packaging object with the wafer seal attached.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0082215, filed on Jul. 3, 2020 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system. More particularly, exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system for attaching a wafer seal to one side of a packaging object in order to prevent the packaging object from unfolding.

Discussion of the Related Art

In general, a wrapping machine is a machine that automatically wraps various products, for example, a packaging object through a wrapping vinyl, which is a film of a transparent material.

However, since the wrapping vinyl covers the entire packaging object, the packaging efficiency is high, but the wrapping vinyl packaged for use in the packaging object is discarded after the packaging is released, so it is pointed out as the main culprit of environmental pollution.

Thus, various attempts have been proposed to prevent unfolding of the packaging object until it reaches the consumer.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system that can seal the edge of the packaging object with a wafer seal even if the wrapping vinyl, which is pointed out as a main culprit of environmental pollution, is not used when packaging the packaging object.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system includes a wafer seal tape, a wafer seal transfer member, an inflow conveyor belt, a first pressure roller member, a second pressure roller member and an outflow conveyor belt. The wafer seal tape has a shape wound in a roll type, and has a plurality of wafer seals attached in series to one surface. The wafer seal transfer member includes a supply holding member on which the wafer seal tape is mounted, a removing pulley for removing the wafer seal as the wafer seal tape is transferred, and a recovery holding member for winding a base member from which the wafer seal is removed using the removing pulley as a separation point. The inflow conveyor belt rotates in a forward rotation direction to transfer the packaging object in order to attach the wafer seal for preventing unfolding to a plurality of accumulated packaging objects. The first pressure roller member is disposed at a rear end of the inlet conveyor belt. As a part of a removed wafer seal is attached to the edge of one surface of the packaging object and transferred, the first pressure roller member bends the rest of the wafer seal in a U-shape to pressurize the edge of the other surface of the object to be packaged. The second pressure roller member is disposed at a rear end of the conveying roller member. The second pressure roller member transfers the packaging object having the wafer seal attached to the edge of one side and the edge of the other side. The outflow conveyor belt is disposed at a rear end of the second pressure roller. The outflow conveyor belt rotates in the forward rotation direction to transport the packaging object with the wafer seal attached.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first pressure roller member may include a first roller disposed at a rear end of the inlet conveyor belt and moving downward as the packaging object enters to bend the wafer seal downward, and a second roller disposed at a rear end of the inflow conveyor belt and driven in the reverse rotation direction to bend the rest of the removed wafer seal in a U-shape to press the edge of the other surface of the packaging object.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second pressure roller member may include a third roller disposed at a rear end of the first pressure roller member and driven in the forward rotation direction to transfer the packaging object to which the wafer seal is attached to the outflow conveyor belt, and a fourth roller disposed on the third roller and rotates forward according to the progress of the packaging object in a non-driven manner

According to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a portion of the wafer seal is attached to an edge of one side of the packaging object transferred through the inflow conveyor belt using the first pressure roller member, and the remaining of the wafer seal is bent in a U-shape to attach an edge of the other surface of the packaging object using the second pressure roller member, and then the packaging object to which the wafer seal is attached is discharged through the outflow conveyor belt. Accordingly, even if the wrapping vinyl, which is pointed out as the main culprit of environmental pollution, is not used when packaging the packaging object, the edge of the packaging object is sealed using a wafer seal, thereby solving an environmental pollution problem caused by the wrapping vinyl discarded after unpacking.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and aspects of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detailed exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a side view schematically illustrating the forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is a plan view schematically illustrating the forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2C is a front view schematically illustrating the forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C are cross-sectional views illustrating a wafer seal attachment operation by the forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4A to FIG. 4E are images explaining a wafer seal attachment by the forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the sizes and relative sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity.

It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “connected to” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it can be directly on, connected or coupled to the other element or layer or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers present. Like numerals refer to like elements throughout. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention.

Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described herein with reference to cross-sectional illustrations that are schematic illustrations of idealized exemplary embodiments (and intermediate structures) of the present invention. As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, exemplary embodiments of the present invention should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. For example, an implanted region illustrated as a rectangle will, typically, have rounded or curved features and/or a gradient of implant concentration at its edges rather than a binary change from implanted to non-implanted region. Likewise, a buried region formed by implantation may result in some implantation in the region between the buried region and the surface through which the implantation takes place. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the actual shape of a region of a device and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A is a side view schematically illustrating the forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2B is a plan view schematically illustrating the forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2C is a front view schematically illustrating the forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 2c , the forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a wafer seal tape 110, a wafer seal transfer member 120, an inlet conveyor belt 130, a first pressure roller member 140, a second pressure roller member 150, and an outlet conveyor belt 160.

The wafer seal tape 110 is configured to have a shape wound in a roll type, and a plurality of wafer seals are attached in series to one surface. In the present specification, the wafer seal may be a sticker or a paster attached to a packaging object to prevent unfolding of the packaging object such as a book.

The wafer seal transfer member 120 includes a supply holding member 122 on which the wafer seal tape 110 to which wafer seals are attached is mounted, a removing pulley 124 for removing the wafer seal as the wafer seal tape 110 is transferred, and a recovery holding member 126 that winds a base member from which the wafer seal is removed. In operation, according to a rotation of the recovery holding member 126, the wafer seal tape 110 is released from the supply holding member 122 and returned to the recovery holding member 126 via the removing pulley 124. In the present exemplary embodiment, the wafer seal is removed by the removing pulley 124 and attached to the edge of one surface of the packaging object. For example, when a rotation speed of the recovery holding member 126 is adjusted, a removing timing of the wafer seal is adjusted. Accordingly, when the rotation speed of the recovery holding member 126 is adjusted according to a transport speed of the packaging object, a removing timing of the wafer seal may be adjusted, and thus an attachment timing of the wafer seal may be adjusted.

The inflow conveyor belt 130 rotates in a forward rotation direction and transfers the packaging object to which the wafer seal is not attached to the first pressure roller member 140 in order to attach the wafer seal for preventing the expansion of the plurality of packaging objects accumulated. In the present exemplary embodiment, the term “forward rotation direction” means a direction of rotation for the forward movement of the packaging object, and the term “reverse rotation direction” means a rotation direction for the reverse movement of the packaging object. For example, when the roller described later is disposed on a top of the packaging object, the forward rotation direction means a clockwise rotation, and the reverse rotation direction means a counterclockwise direction. Moreover, when the roller described later is disposed under the packaging object, the forward rotation direction means a counterclockwise rotation, and the reverse rotation direction means a clockwise direction.

The first pressure roller member 140 includes a first roller 142 and a second roller 144. The first pressure roller member 140 is disposed at a rear end of the wafer seal transfer member 120 to bend the remaining area of the wafer seal in a U-shape. The first pressure roller member 140 presses an edge of the other surface of the packaging object and transfers it toward the second pressure roller member 150.

The first roller 142 is disposed at a rear end of the inlet conveyor belt 130 and above the second roller 144 to be moved in the vertical direction. The first roller 142 is disposed in an upward position. As the packaging object enters, the first roller 142 moves downward to bend the wafer seal downward. The first roller 142 may be driven in a forward rotation direction or may be driven in a reverse rotation direction.

The second roller 144 is disposed at a rear end of the inflow conveyor belt 130. The second roller 144 is driven in the reverse rotation direction to bend the remaining area of the removed wafer seal into a U-shape and press it to the edge of the other surface of the packaging object. A length of the second roller 144 may be designed to be wider than a width of the packaging object, and a length of the first roller 142 may be designed to be smaller than a width of the packaging object and wider than a width of the wafer seal.

The second pressure roller member 150 includes a third roller 152 and a fourth roller 154 to be disposed at a rear end of the first pressure roller member 140. The second pressure roller member 150 transfers the packaging object to which the wafer seal is attached toward the outflow conveyor belt 160.

The third roller 152 is driven in a forward rotation direction to transfer the packaging object to which the wafer seal is attached toward the outflow conveyor belt 160.

The fourth roller 154 is disposed on the third roller 152. The fourth roller 154 rotates in a forward direction according to a progress of the packaging object in a non-driven manner. As the packaging object to which the wafer seal is attached passes through a space between the third roller 152 and the fourth roller 154, the wafer seal attached to the packaging object is secondarily pressed to increase adhesion strength.

The outflow conveyor belt 160 is disposed at a rear end of the second pressure roller member 150. The outflow conveyor belt 160 rotates in a forward rotation direction to transport the packaging object to which the wafer seal is attached.

FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C are cross-sectional views illustrating a wafer seal attachment operation by the forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3A, when a portion of the wafer seal is attached to an edge of one surface of the packaging object and transported by the inflow conveyor belt 130, the first roller 142 is moved downward to bend an unattached area of the wafer seal in a down direction. Additionally, the first roller 142 may press a portion of the wafer seal attached to an edge of one surface of the packaging object to increase adhesion strength of the wafer seal.

Referring to FIG. 3B, the wafer seal bent downward by the first roller 142 is bent by the second roller 144 driven in a reverse rotation direction, so that the remaining area of the wafer seal is attached to the other edge of a packaging object.

As the packaging object is transported after the wafer seal is attached to the other edge of the packaging object by the first roller 142, the packaging object passes through the space between the third roller 152 and the fourth roller 154 and is then transferred toward the outflow conveyor belt 160.

FIG. 4A to FIG. 4E are images explaining a wafer seal attachment by the forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3C and FIG. 4A, when the recovery and mounting member 126 of the wafer seal transfer member 120 rotates, the wafer seal adjacent to the removing pulley 124 is removed. That is, as a direction of the wafer seal tape is changed by about 180 degrees by the removing pulley 124, the wafer seal adjacent to the removing pulley 124 is removed from the wafer seal tape 110. As a diameter of the removing pulley 124 is smaller, the wafer seal is more easily removed from the wafer seal tape 110.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3C and FIG. 4B, the removed wafer seal is attached to an edge upper surface of the packaging object, and is transferred by the inlet conveyor belt 130.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3C and FIG. 4C, the first roller 142 bends a portion of the wafer seal removed through a downward motion downward. The first roller 142, which has bent a portion of the wafer seal in a downward motion, is moved upward again. The second roller 144 disposed under the first roller 142 is driven in the forward rotation direction to transport the packaging object. The wafer seal with a partial area attached to an upper edge of the packaging object is bent in a U-shape by the first roller 142 driven in a reverse rotation direction, and is pressed and attached to the other edge of the packaging object.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3C, FIG. 4D and FIG. 4E, the packaging object passes through a space between the third roller 152 and the fourth roller 154 and is then transferred toward the outflow conveyor belt 160. In FIG. 4D and FIG. 4E, the third roller 152 and the fourth roller 154 are hidden from view by an outer chassis. That is, the third roller 152 is driven in a forward rotation direction to transport the packaging object, and the fourth roller 154 disposed on the third roller 152 is rotated in a forward rotation direction in a non-driven manner according to a progress of the packaging object.

As described above, according to the present invention, a portion of the wafer seal is attached to an edge of one surface of the packaging object transferred through the inflow conveyor belt using the first pressure roller member. Then, the remaining of the wafer seal is bent in a U-shape to attach an edge of the other surface of the packaging object using the second pressure roller member, and then the packaging object to which the wafer seal is attached is discharged through the outflow conveyor belt. Accordingly, even if the wrapping vinyl, which is pointed out as the main culprit of environmental pollution, is not used when packaging the packaging object, the edge of the packaging object is sealed using a wafer seal, thereby solving an environmental pollution problem caused by the wrapping vinyl discarded after unpacking.

The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although a few exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the present invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined in the claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limited to the specific exemplary embodiments disclosed, and that modifications to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, as well as other exemplary embodiments, are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. The present invention is defined by the following claims, with equivalents of the claims to be included therein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system comprising: a wafer seal tape having a shape wound in a roll type, and having a plurality of wafer seals attached in series to one surface; a wafer seal transfer member comprising a supply holding member on which the wafer seal tape is mounted, a removing pulley for removing the wafer seal as the wafer seal tape is transferred, and a recovery holding member for winding a base member from which the wafer seal is removed using the removing pulley as a separation point; an inflow conveyor belt that rotates in a forward rotation direction to transfer a packaging object in order to attach the wafer seal for preventing unfolding to a plurality of accumulated packaging objects; a first pressure roller member disposed at a rear end of the inflow conveyor belt, and as a part of the removed wafer seal is attached to the edge of one side of the packaging object and transported, the rest of the wafer seal is bent in a U-shape and transferred by pressing the edge of the other surface of the packaging object; a second pressure roller member disposed at a rear end of the first pressure roller member and conveying a packaging object having a wafer seal attached to an edge of one side and an edge of the other side; and an outflow conveyor belt disposed at a rear end of the second pressure roller member and rotates in a forward rotation direction to transport the packaging object to which the wafer seal is attached to the outside.
 2. The forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system of claim 1, wherein the first pressure roller member comprises: a first roller disposed at a rear end of the inlet conveyor belt and moving downward as the packaging object enters to bend the wafer seal downward; and a second roller disposed at a rear end of the inflow conveyor belt and driven in the reverse rotation direction to bend the rest of the removed wafer seal in a U-shape to press the edge of the other surface of the packaging object.
 3. The forward and reverse roller type wafer sealing system of claim 1, wherein the second pressure roller member comprises: a third roller disposed at a rear end of the first pressure roller member and driven in the forward rotation direction to transfer the packaging object to which the wafer seal is attached to the outflow conveyor belt; and a fourth roller disposed on the third roller and rotates forward according to the progress of the packaging object in a non-driven manner. 